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We should 'taste' Iman (Faith). We can read a description of Iman from a book, but can we taste it?

Is Iman something physical that you can see or taste?

'if you want to see Iman, then look towards the Sahaba of the Messenger of Allah Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam, for they are the models of Iman.

He gave an analogy of somebody reading a cooking book with beautiful dishes etc, but can they taste those dishes from merely reading?

Even if they were to get all the ingredients, they can't become a chef in a day.

It takes training and practise, the same with a shaykh.

Therefore, you can only taste Iman by being in a gathering of remembrance in the Presence of the Shuyukh.

The Shaykh went through a beautiful hadith of the Prophet Sallallahu Alaihi wasallam, which describes the sweetness of Iman. He went through in detail.

The gist of it as follows:The Prophet, sallallahu alaihi wasallam, said: 'There are three things, only the one who has them will taste the sweetness of Iman: first, that he loves Allah and His Messenger more than any other thing'.

The shaykh mentioned here that the words mentioned here are 'min+ma' not 'min+man' which would mean 'more than anyone'. Rather, it is 'more than any thing' - (ma, used for ghair-aakil), therefore, this means that Allah and His Messenger Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam should be MORE beloved than anyTHING! (materialism)...

The shaykh mentioned another hadith of Haarith Ibn Malik. He passed by the Prophet who asked him: "How are you this morning O Haritha ?" He replied:"This morning I am a real believer." The Prophet said: "Take care of what you say: what is the reality of your belief?" He said: "I have turned myself away from this world by keeping awake at night and by keeping myself thirsty by day; and I can almost see the Throne of my Lord in full sight; and It is as though the people of the Garden of Paradise visiting each other; and the people of the Fire wailing to each other in it." The Prophet said: "O Haritha, enough, you know". The shaykh said that Haarith Ibn Malik said 'kazalika' - which means 'its as though...' --- for only the Prophet Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam has seen Heaven and Hell in reality!

He talked about Sleep. He mentioned that it’s a sin if you intend to sleep.

Rather, you should let sleep overwhelm you. The Shaykh also mentioned how people take extreme measures in order to go to sleep, for example, they lie down staring at the ceiling, counting sheep and counting backwards, (very funny).

The Shaykh mentioned a story of the great Imam Abu Hanifa, may Allah have mercy on him. He was once walking in the street, when he heard two people talking (can't remember if they were men or women). One of them said to the other, 'this is the man who never sleeps', pointing at the Imam.

When the Imam heard this, he vowed to never sleep again.

Thus it was, the great Imam never slept whilst lying down. He would let sleep overcome him and would rest for an hour or two whilst in a seated position.

The shaykh talked about how we should observe silence.

He said when a person speaks, he exposes himself, i.e. he/she exposes their nature, their behaviour, level of knowledge etc etc.

And a person of insight can immediately tell what kind of person he/she is. Hadrat Sayyiduna Ali, may Allah ennoble his face, said 'A man is hidden under his tongue, not under his garment'.

There is a science called 'Firasa' (spritual insight) and the west also has this science, the study of human behaviour (possibly psychology???)....Therefore, one should remain silent as much as possible.

The shaykh mentioned that it is very difficult for an Aalim to judge a person who is silent.

Imam Abu Hanifa, when he was in his old age, was giving a private dars to his students. He would often stretch out his leg when he would get tired.

The students were aware of the pain that the Imam was going through so didn't believe that the Imam was lacking adab.

However, a stranger walked into the dars. He was of old age also, with beard etc. So the Imam folded up his leg for the dars and continued. He endured much pain but regardless of this, he continued with the dars in this position because he was afraid this person may be a learned scholar/Aalim and didn't want to show bad adab by stretching out his leg.

It continued like this for a number of days until one day, this man asked the Imam a question.

The moment this man opened his mouth to ask a question, the great Imam said O Abu Hanifa, it is time you stretch out your leg!!!

In other words, when he asked the Question, the Imam was able to identify the very nature of the man, his level of knowledge, and virtually everything about him!!

The shaykh then talked about presenting Islam to others but we must be strong in Iman ourselves.

He said we must save ourselves before we can save others. And we must not compromise things in our religion in order to make it appear 'good' or 'beautiful'. I.e. we should present the real Islam without compromise or fear that the people will reject it.

It is not our job to guide, this is from Allah Subhanu wa ta’ala.

Its becoming a modern trend nowadays that people are trying to compromise things in Islam for others, e.g. if a woman reverts to Islam, then it is haram for her to live with her husband who is non-Muslim. You cannot give her the fatwa that it’s ok in order to make her feel good, which is so common in today’s society.

We cannot know for sure, if we will die upon Islam or Kufr.

The shaykh reminded us of the hadith where the Prophet Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam said 'a man/woman who is religious and pious his entire life until there is between him and death an arms length and he commits kufr and ends up in the fire'.... something along these lines...'and the man who lived in kufr his entire life until there is an arms length between him and his death and he chooses the path of the people of Jannah and thus attains paradise.

You cannot guarantee how your death will be.

Therefore, struggle now for the attainment of this sweetness of Iman.

The shaykh also talked about Zuhd, the process of divorcing yourself from the dunya, and this doesn't mean that you leave the dunya, leave your job, family etc.

You continue to work with your hands but your heart is in the presence of Allah Subhanu wa ta’ala.

The Prophet (Peace and blessings be upon him) said, "Whoever increases in knowledge and does not increase in guidance, only increases in distance from Allah."

The Prophet (Peace and blessings be upon him) said, "Anger comes from the devil, who was created from fire, which is extinguished by water. Should anyone one of you get angry, let him make ablution."

Imam Qusheri had a favourite student and people noticed that he liked him, others students became jealous.

So he set all of his students a test, kill a bird but do it where nobody is watching. The students came back one by one with their birds killed except the favourite student.He said, “I couldn’t find any spot where no one was looking.” The other students stopped and realised why he liked him so much.

(He always knew that Allah Subhanu wa ta’ala was looking at him.)

Ibn Ata'llah said, “People praise you for what they suppose is in you, but you must blame your soul for what you know is in you.” Hikam number 142

Ibn Ata'llah said, "No one is a companion of yours except the one who knowing your defects, is your companion and that is only the generous Lord.” Hikam number 135.

Ibn Ata'llah said, “Sometimes he gives whilst depriving you and sometimes he deprives you, in giving.” Hikam number 83

Ibn Ata'llah said, "Suffice it as a recompense to you for obedience, that he has judged you worthy of obedience." Hikam number 90

Ibn Hazm al-Andalusi (May Allah have mercy upon him) said, "Anyone who believes himself safe from criticism and reproach is out of his mind." In pursuit of virtue p.125

Jesus (upon him peace) said, "The world is a bridge, so pass over it to the next world , but do not try to build on it."

Muhammad ibn Ahmed Al-Buzaydi said, "Nothing prevents people from obtaining what they desire except their sincerity, so do understand."

Salman Al-Farsi (May Allah be pleased with him) said, "If a slave abstains from the world, his heart becomes illuminated with wisdom and his limbs reciprocate in worship." Minhaj Al-abideen by Imam Ghazali.

Al-Aqida at-Tahawiah by Imam Abu Jafr At-Atahawi.
"Belief consists of: belief in Allah, His angels, His books, His messengers, the Last day and belief that the Decree both the good and the bad, the sweet and the bitter are all from Allah Ta'ala." Number 66.

Abu Barza al-Aslami said, "I said, 'Messenger of Allah, show me an action by which I will enter the Garden!" He said, 'Remove harmful things from people's path.'"

Ibn 'Abbas reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Teach and make things easy and not difficult. When one of you is angry, he should be silent."

Abu Dharr said, "I asked, 'Messenger of Allah, what if a man loves a people but cannot join them?' He replied, 'Abu Dharr, you are with the one you love.' I said, 'I love Allah and His Messenger.' He said, 'Abu Dharr, you are with the one you love.'"

Ibn Ata'llah (May Allah Ta'ala show him mercy) said:
"Do not despair when in spite of intense supplication, there is a delay in receiving the expected gift. He has guaranteed that he will respond in what He chooses for you, and not what you choose for yourself, and at the time He chooses – not the time you desire."

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Ibn Hazm al-Andalusi (May Allah have mercy upon him) said, "If you look deeply into worldly matters you will become melancholy and will end up reflecting upon the ephemeral nature of everything here below, and the fact that truth lies only in striving for the hereafter, since every ambition to which you might cling will end in tears; either the goal is snatched from you, or you have to give the attempt up before you reach it. One of these two endings is inevitable except the search for God the Almighty the Powerful. Then the result is always joy, both immediate and eternal. The immediate joy is because you stop worrying about things which usually worry people; this leads to an increase in the respect paid to you by friends and enemies alike. The eternal joy is the joy of paradise." In Pursuit of Virtue by Ibn Hazm p.121